Fort Smith National Historic Site

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Fort Smith National Historic Site
Commissary Building in 1940
Commissary Building in 1940
Location Sebastian County, Arkansas & Le Flore County, Oklahoma, USA
Nearest city Fort Smith, Arkansas
Coordinates 35°20′36″N 94°25′22″W / 35.34333, -94.42278
Area 75 acres (0.3 km²)
Established September 13, 1961
Visitors 74,400 (in 2005)
Governing body National Park Service
Fort Smith
(U.S. National Historic Landmark)
Location: Fort Smith, Arkansas
Designated as NHL: December 19, 1960[1]
Added to NRHP: October 15, 1966[2]
NRHP Reference#: 66000202

Fort Smith National Historic Site is a United States National Historic Site located in Fort Smith, Arkansas and Oklahoma along the Arkansas River. The site was established in 1961 in order to protect the remains of two nineteenth-century U.S. military forts and the Federal Court for the Western District of Arkansas. Fort Smith was also notable as a major stop along the "Trail of Tears." It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1960.[1],[3],[4]

The park visitor center is now located in the old Barracks/Courthouse/Jail building. Exhibits in the visitor center focus on Fort Smith’s military history from 18171871, western expansion, Judge Isaac Parker and the federal court's impact on Indian Territory, U.S. Deputy Marshals and outlaws, Federal Indian policy, and Indian Removal including the Trail of Tears.

Located on the grounds are the foundation remains of the first Fort Smith (1817-1824), the commissary building (c. 1838) and a reconstruction of the gallows used by the federal court. A walking trail along the Arkansas River includes wayside exhibits on the Trail of Tears.

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Fort Smith. National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service (2007-09-26).
  2. ^ National Register Information System. National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service (2007-01-23).
  3. ^ ["Fort Smith (First and Second Sites) and Judge Parker Courtroom", December 10, 1958, by Frank B. Sarls, Jr.PDF (202 KiB) National Survey of Historic Sites and Buildings]. National Park Service (1958-12-10).
  4. ^ [Fort Smith--Accompanying 4 photos, exterior, from 1940 and undated.PDF (620 KiB) National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination]. National Park Service (1958-12-10).
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